Krug Grande Cuvée is the archetype of Krug's philosophy of craftsmanship and savoir faire: a blend of around 120 wines from ten or more different vintages, some of which may have reached twenty years of age. Blending so many vintages gives Grande Cuvée its unique fullness of flavours and aromas, its incredible generosity and its absolute elegance: something impossible to express with the wines of just a single year. Over twenty years are needed to craft each bottle and its exceptional finesse is the result of a stay of at least another six years in the cellars: the first prestige cuvée re-created each year, beyond the very notion of vintage. Krug buy Meunier grapes from two petit crus; the Cote de Bar in the warmest part of champagne nearer Burgundy than Reims and also from the village of Sainte-Gemme because of their intense fruit expression and freshness they bring to the blend.
This is the 167th creation of Krug Grande Cuvée and the fourth release to display the Edition on the label. The majority 58% is from its base year of 2011 and the remaining 42% is from 12 vintages of reserve wines the oldest being 1995 and the youngest 2011 some 191 wines make up the blend. This atypical year was divided into two parts: high temperatures up until the beginning of May resulted in blossoms three weeks early, followed by cold, wet weather with low sun. There was concern that the grapes might be overly mature but a three-day heat wave stopped maturation, while subsequent rains refreshed them. The year’s unusual weather led to the second earliest harvest since 1822. In the end, the grapes were healthy and gave rise to wines with a surprising structure and remarkable aromas. While the Chardonnays did not reveal their habitual freshness, it was a year for beautifully balanced Pinot Noir wines, particularly those from plots in Mareuil sur Aÿ.
Krug ID: 118002 | Each bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée NV has a Krug ID on the back label which enables you to discover the story of that very bottle. You can do so using the smartphone App or on the Krug website.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: Predominately Premier & Grand Cru
Grape Varieties: 47% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay, 17% Meunier
Base Vintage: 2011
Reserve Wine: 42%
Ageing: 7 years on the lees
Disgorged: Winter 2018
Dosage: 6 g/l
Alcohol: 12%
Drink: Now to 2029
Tasting Note: A light golden colour and fine vivacious bubbles, holding a promise of pleasure. Aromas of flowers in bloom, ripe, dried and citrus fruits combine with marzipan and gingerbread. On the palate, hazelnut, barley sugar with more citrus, brioche and almonds. A slight honeyed finish, long and lingering.
Krug Grande Cuvée 167th Edition does not come in a gift box.